INTEGRATING ISLAMIC EDUCATION INTO CONFLICT MANAGEMENT: STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.

Islam, Education, Conflict, Management, Approach, Peace, Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Northern Nigeria has been plagued by ongoing and complex conflicts, ranging from terrorism and ethno-religious violence to communal conflicts and political instability. These conflicts have impeded development, threatened national unity, and undermined peaceful coexistence. Western peace building models have been implemented with limited success. To this fact, this paper torchlight into the conflicts in Northern Nigeria by employing analytic method of contents with textual studies through which suitability of peace and conflict management is carefully looked into. The paper also juxtaposes Islamic education and peacebuilding, explores the causes of conflict in Northern Nigeria, identifies conflict dynamics and integrative approach to conflict management and assesses the roles of stakeholders both resources and humans in fostering tolerance and reconciliation. The paper comes to the conclusion that a locally based inclusive, and religiously sensitive approach to conflict resolution is necessary for a lasting peace in Northern Nigeria, while it recommends steps in bringing the approach into success, such as; scholars’ engagement, youths’ empowerment, parental control, value awareness, among others.